Mebrat Hagos was only 8 when her mother taught her the rituals of the bunna, the centuries-old Ethiopian coffee ceremony. It’s a tradition steeped in lore, from the washing of the green coffee beans and their ritualistic roasting to the final, ceremonial pour.

When Hagos performs bunna at Oakland’s Cafe Romanat these days, her years of experience shine through as she pours, holding the traditional ceramic vessel aloft as the aromatic brew descends in a long, thin stream, creating bubbles on the inky surface of the coffee far below.

Bunna (pronounced “boo-nah”) is an integral part of home and social life in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee — and in the homes of the many Ethiopian emigrees who have come to this country. But Bay Area diners can experience the ritual at a handful of local restaurants as well, including three in San Jose: the Zeni, Ghion and Gojo restaurants.

“Socially, bunna is very important. The whole purpose is to bring people together,” Cafe Romanat co-owner Elyas Kefela says.

In Ethiopia, the ritual is performed at least once daily, and the communal affair, which can take up to two hours, is usually performed by a woman. Ethiopian girls learn at a young age how to prepare bunna.

“If you come to my house, it’s the first thing I would do — without asking. It goes without saying,” says Tsedey Seifu, founder of Afro Urbanites and Selam, a modern Ethiopian pop-up restaurant that “pops up” Saturdays in Berkeley.

A typical bunna ceremony begins with the host washing green coffee beans, then roasting them in a constantly swirling pan. She proffers the pan to participants, wafting the smoke so they can inhale the scent. The fragrance mingles with frankincense, smoldering in a brazier on a floor strewed with grasses and flowers.

The roasted beans are ground in a mortar and pestle, then placed in a jebena, a traditional Ethiopian vessel with a straw lid. The grounds are covered with water and set over an open fire to boil.

During this leisurely process, participants chat, snack on popcorn or bread, and enjoy each other’s company. The bunna becomes a place for family and friends to catch up, solve problems and debate politics. It’s an experience that engages all five senses, as well as the heart.

“The best thing I can remember is (coming) home from school, when my mom is making coffee. From outside I can smell the coffee and incense,” Seifu says. “It’s so comforting, I know that someone must be at home, and there is someone to take care of me.”

At the critical moment, just before it boils over, the jebena is taken off the heat and moved to a stand that cradles the pot at an angle, allowing the grounds to settle. Then it is poured from a height into small cups and served with sugar, salt or butter.

“The first cup is strong, like espresso, if not stronger. It’s got a sweet flavor,” Kefela says. “With each round, it gets lighter and more watery. By the third, it’s like American coffee.”

Each round has its own name — abol, tona and baraka — and participants stay to sip for all three, during which a family elder may pronounce a blessing as the gathering responds “Amen” or “Let it be.”

With coffee as the vehicle to bring family and friends together every day, it’s no wonder many Ethiopians miss bunna when they come to the United States, where coffee is procured in drive-thrus, absent-mindedly slurped from paper cups and consumed in solitude.

“Here you have Thanksgiving or Christmas,” Kefela says, as an occasion to gather family and friends, “but with bunna you have your holiday every day.”

Gojo Restaurant: Available upon advance request. $30 for up to five people. Details: 1261 W. San Carlos St., San Jose; 408-295-9546, www.gojoethiopianrestaurant.com.

Selam, Modern Ethiopian Pop-Up Kitchen: All meals come with complimentary Ethiopian coffee, roasted on site during the coffee ceremony. The kitchen typically pops up 6-10 p.m. the first Saturday of each month at the Guerilla Cafe, 1620 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. For details, visit www.afrourbanites.com/main/food/pop-kitchen.

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